Breakthrough deforestation pledge announced in Copenhagen
 
DW, 16 Dec 2009
 
Six rich countries made a pledge to slow deforestation at the climate
conference currently taking place in Copenhagen. The agreement is
considered the first major advance at the stalling 12-day summit.
 
The United States joined Australia, Britain, France, Japan and Norway
in a program to run from 2010 to 2012 aimed at halting the loss of the
world's forests in a bid to prevent further climate change.
 
The six countries agreed to set up a $3.5 billion (2.4 billion euro)
fund to fight deforestation, which scientists believe is a key
contributor to rising global temperatures they say are threatening the
planet. The US will contribute $1 billion to the fund.
 
In a joint statement, the countries described the fund as "an initial
investment" in developing countries that submit "ambitious" plans for
preserving their forests instead of logging the resource for timber.
 
"We collectively commit to scaling up our finance thereafter in line
with opportunities and the delivery of results," they said.
 
"As part of an ambitious and comprehensive deal, we recognize the
significant role of international public finance in supporting
developing countries' efforts to slow, halt and eventually reverse
deforestation," the statement continued.
 
The planet's lungs
 
Forests are considered a vital bulwark against global warming, as
trees soak up carbon dioxide from the air.
 
The carbon is stored until the trees rot, are chopped down and burned,
at which point it is released back into the atmosphere as a heat-
trapping carbon gas. Commercial logging and the use of forested land
for agriculture also release gases otherwise trapped in the soil.
 
Deforestation was estimated to be responsible for nearly a fifth of
the world's greenhouse gas emissions, but new studies have reduced
this figure to 12 percent.
 
The scheme, called Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and
Degradation (REDD), has had wide support from rich and poor countries
in the talks in the Danish capital and kick-start funding has been a
key demand from developing nations.
 
"Protecting the world's forests is not a luxury, it's a necessity," US
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in the statement from
Copenhagen. "This substantial commitment is reflective of our
recognition that international public finance must play a role in
developing countries' efforts to slow, halt and reverse
deforestation," he said.
 
Logjam broken
 
"This is a very positive and encouraging step," Norwegian Prime
Minister Jens Stoltenberg told reporters. "This can help the
atmosphere for negotiators in Copenhagen."
 
The talks so far have stumbled on emissions targets by rich nations,
financing for poor nations and arguments over the final shape of any
new legal agreement to fight climate change.